By winning their fourth title, the Bulls capped what many consider to be the greatest season in NBA history, as they finished a record 72–10 in the regular season, eclipsing the 1972 Lakers record of 69–13, helped by the addition of another future Hall of Famer to the Bulls, Dennis Rodman. It was also redemption for Jordan after his first return to the playoffs in 1995 and the Bulls' disappointing second-round loss to Orlando, a team that would be swept in the NBA Finals. With him leading the way, the Bulls swept the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the four games by an average of 17 points en route to a combined record of 87–13 in regular season and postseason play.

The SuperSonics were only the tenth team in NBA history to win 64 games during the regular season, but their feat went largely unnoticed due to Chicago's record 72 wins. They made their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1979, and vindicated them as well after their stunning first-round loss to the Nuggets in 1994, when they had become the first #1 seed to lose to an eighth-seed.

This was the Kings' first playoff appearance since 1986, but would be Mitch Richmond's only one as a King (he previously appeared twice in the playoffs for the Golden State Warriors in 1989 and 1991). The Kings did not make it back until 1999, which began their seven-year string of playoff appearances. Richmond would be traded to the Wizards in 1998 and would later win his first and only championship with the Lakers in 2002 (he would retire shortly thereafter).

As for the two-time defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, their quest for a 3-peat was thwarted by Seattle. The Sonics swept Houston 4-0 in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Sonics were also the last team to defeat the Rockets in the playoffs before their two-year title run, in the 1993 Western Conference Semifinals (Seattle won 4–3).

Though the Utah Jazz fell in 7 to the SuperSonics in the Western Conference Finals (their third appearance in 5 years), in retrospect it kickstarted their own Finals run, which they ultimately accomplished in 1997 and 1998, but lost both times to the Bulls. As for the Magic, it ended a three-year run of dominance for the team, as Shaquille O'Neal joined the Lakers the following season. The Magic did not have another 50-win season, division title and first round playoff series victory until 2008, followed the season afterward by an Eastern Conference championship and the franchise's second NBA Finals appearance in 2009 to which they lost to the Lakers.

The SuperSonics led the series 3-1 after an 88–86 victory at the Delta Center in Game 4. However, the Jazz shocked the Sonics in Seattle in Game 5 98-95 and would handily win Game 6 118-83, Seattle's worst playoff loss in team history. Game 7 was a close affair and the Sonics pulled away late to win 90-86 and advance to their first NBA Finals since 1979.